[AN] I often get emails informing me that more people have followed or favorited this mess of a fanfiction. it always brightens my mood to see that other people are enjoying this alternate world that I've created for our beloved characters. yet most of you guys stay so silent! it'd mean even more to me to hear what your thoughts are on the story, so that I can improve myself and get different opinions and ideas. your feedback really does mean a lot to me, even if it's negative. so please, introduce yourself if you haven't yet, and tell me what you've liked, disliked, and what you want to see/look forward to reading in the future. thank you so much to those of you who have taken the time to review. I appreciate your input more than anything. your reviews feed meeeee
The events that take place in this chapter follow the rest of the anime. We'll see where this goes.
Chapter 15: Snapdragon
The sleeping giants in their brick houses stirred. 'Cattle.' Their dim, giant eyes devoured her, watching, feeding. With each heavy blink, she could feel herself crumbling even faster than their stone prisons. Clumsy hands as large as mountains reached through the cracks towards her. They encircled her, towered above her as they broke free from the walls they were once entrenched within. The world around her was a mass of grotesque limbs and hungry mouths and teeth the size of her head. The walls had fallen, and all that lay behind them was an endless valley of darkness, and more giants.
Though they towered above her, even they could not eclipse the effervescent colors of the sky. Hues of azure and gold and violet and pink shone through the cracks in their unorganized ranks. But beyond that laid what?
Their hands reached for her, silhoutted by a myriad of colors.
'You're okay…'
"Nephele? Are you okay?"
Gasping like she'd emerged from the depths, Nephele choked on the air that filled her lungs. She sat up, coughing, and the tremors that ran through her body awoke the pain that had gone to sleep with her. The nightmares never rested, though. She could still see the eyes.
There was a bit of added weight on the mattress."Yeah, 'm fine," she grumbled at Krista, pushing the sheets off of her body. 'I must see the sky first,' she thought before turning her head to gaze out the bedroom window. Dawn was approaching while the golden sun was just starting to peak lazily out from behind the granite spine of some fallen, mountainous titan.
Ymir and Sasha were stilling snoring in their beds on the other side of the spacious room. Nephele guessed that it was just before five o'clock, which was when most of her days had began for the past several years. Yesterday they––along with over three dozen other Scouts––given a 'respite' from their duties, stripped of their equipment, and stationed in a fort south of Wall Rose. It seemed that Nephele's internal clock now struck in perpetual concurrence with the rising sun.
When Nephele looked over at Krista sitting on her bed, she could feel and see the girl shift beneath her gaze. Her smiles were always kind––her words uncertain but full of concern––though her turquoise eyes always remained heavily guarded.
"You were talking and moving in your sleep," Krista briefly explained as she stood, smiling almost meekly. "Is there anything you need? Water?"
"I'm fine. Thanks," answered Nephele a bit too brusquely. She felt a bit of guilt afterward for her sudden harshness, but bit her lip instead of furthering the conversation to apologize. She didn't yet trust herself with words so early in the morning and with only around three hours of sleep to keep her running for the rest of the day.
Krista was already changed into her civilian clothing, which consisted of a lilac knit sweater over a white collared shirt, khaki trousers, and black, canvas oxfords. If she took offense to Nephele's words, she made no hint of it. Instead, Krista smiled and quickly excused herself.
"Alright. I'll be downstairs in the Dining Room if there's anything you need," she murmured, stumbling over a few words.
"I'll come down in a bit," Nephele suddenly said before Krista could retreat out of range. The blonde looked over her shoulder and raised her hand to wave goodbye.
"Then I'll meet you there. Oh, and could you tell Ymir where I am if she wakes up before you leave?" she asked politely.
"Yeah, sure," promised Nephele, waving her hand back at the girl with less ardor than Krista had. She kept her eyes pointed at the floor, listening to her footfall as it gradually receded, and the door when it closed gently behind her.
Surrounded by sleeping soldiers, Nephele felt very alone. She missed her parents whose scattered remains slumbered underground, the gardens she tended to with her mother and the forests she'd hunt with her father. She missed Daisy and Jasmine, their horses. They had always faithfully carried Nephele and her parents, but her and Ligeia had to leave them behind at the gate to Wall Rose during the evacuation of Wall Maria. She missed the young couple living in their stone cottage on the other side of the hill, and the big, old yew tree that they tended to. She missed the old lady and her animal shelter, and Poppy, it's sole survivor. Nephele wasn't allowed to keep the dog for very long. It wasn't appropriate for a soldier to keep a pet while on duty.
She missed Petra, the daughter of two loving parents whom Nephele had entrusted with Poppy's care, upon Petra's insistent suggestions. She'd never had a dog, Petra told her. Her mom's parents once owned a kennel, though, so she'd be in good hands. Maybe one day Nephele could visit.
She missed Marco, too. Jean especially missed Marco. He'd sometimes talk about the freckled lad as if he still breathed air, and seldom about the circumstances of his death. He tried to immortalize Marco's memory in the hearts of everyone who had the chance to know him, but he wouldn't tread lightly into the irrevocable blackness that was the finality of death's crushing grip.
Nephele rubbed sleep dust from her eyes and stood. She went to the large full-length mirror hanging crooked on the wall and ran her fingers through her hair. When she pulled her hand free, several strands came with it, sewed between her fingers. The threads holding her head together were starting to come undone, it seemed.
She went under her bed to rummage through one of her briefcases, which she'd stuffed haphazardly with clothes. Without paying much heed to style, Nephele dressed herself casually in a loose, daisy print blouse, a pair of slightly worn jeans, and green loafers. Ymir still hadn't woken up, and Nephele didn't linger long to relay Krista's message.
On her way to the Dining Hall, Nephele anxiously fiddled with her necklace and glanced past open doors. She saw a few soldiers in their bunk rooms going about their morning routines, while others were taking advantage of the day off and were still asleep. She saw Mike Zacharius staring over a bunch of papers at his desk in that imposing, slumped manner exclusive to Survey Corps squad leaders. There appeared to be a town map amongst the papers he was scrutinizing. Several other voices exchanged hushed murmurs to one another, and Nephele was tempted to try to listen in on them. She couldn't see anyone else in the room with the door only half open.
Mike looked up at her with callous blue eyes, and as quickly as that the door shut. Nephele's bad leg bothered her for the duration of her walk.
By the time Nephele reached the Dining Hall, food was already waiting for her and Krista was no where to be found. Voices echoed off the high ceiling, making it sound like the room held more patrons than it truly did. The smell of animal grease and eggs nearly made her gag, and when she tried to breathe from her mouth she could practically taste it in the air. It'd been quite some time since she last consumed meat.
Nephele took her place at the end of the short line of soldiers waiting for their meals. Lines were what kept the military running so smoothly. With few options to choose from, Nephele broke her fast on honeyed over-ripe fruit and hard bread, alone.
"Same old Nephele. Always wistfully staring out a window. Don't you get sick of the same view?" came Reiner's booming voice. She heard and felt him sit down beside her on the bench before she saw his face. As she expected, Bertolt joined him across from her, smiling politely.
"Hey, Neph," acknowledged Bertolt meekly.
Nephele nodded at the pair and stabbed a blueberry with her fork. It popped, oozing white goo from its puncture wound. She scooped up the remains and ate its bruised carcass, the taste of honey as thick as blood on her tongue.
"It's always different," she murmured, staring at the distant mountains that formed the wall of granite teeth encircling the valley. The world above was a dusty canvas of muted blues, purples, and oranges. Warm and cool colors coalesced in the kind of visual harmony that can only be painted by the sky. Evergreens rose from the earth like emerald lances, and all of it was framed by an arched window. The world was surging, losing and growing, breathing and dying all around her, yet she could only see what was happening beyond the glass.
Reiner swept his gaze around the room cautiously then leaned closer to Nephele. His large arm brushed against her own, dwarfing the muscles she'd strengthened over the years. Despite his size, Nephele had still bested him in that arm wrestling match back during their training days.
"I heard that beyond the walls there's a big, endless lake with salty water that goes on and on forever, and forests where rain falls from leaves, and fields of sand, and mountains that spit liquid fire. I bet you've never seen something like that outside of your windows," said Reiner in a hushed voice, his mischievous grin stretched wide. "Tell her, Bertolt."
Red blossomed on Bertolt's long face and he shook his head. "It's not like I've seen any of those things," he muttered forlornly. "I just heard about them from different people."
"I've read about the ocean, about deserts and jungles," said Nephele, smiling softly as one would at the thought of a distant, nostalgic memory. "Though never of mountains that spit fire. The earth has so many lost treasures, but they're out there. The ocean stirs as we speak, and will continue to do so long after we've spoken our last." Nephele looked back out the window. The sky was now a dull gray, and she could hear the voices of a hundred birds. Though each sang their own tune, their refrains made a melodic song that Nephele would never get to hear again. She closed her eyes for a moment, and the song became louder.
She thought of the ocean. It must be as blue and vast as the sky. While Nephele may never reach the heavens, she may be able to submerge herself in its reflection one day. Armin always talked about the ocean…
"But those kinds of books are banned," murmured Reiner under his breath, wary of any who may be listening to their conversation.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Nephele shrugged and finished her fruit as Reiner started shoveling spoonfuls of powdered eggs into his mouth.
"Neither do I," Bertolt said after devouring his sausage in one colossal bite. Nephele appreciated how quickly the pair caught on and changed subjects.
By the time they had finished their meals, many of the other soldiers were entering the Dining Hall. Nephele excused herself and returned her dishes, unsure of how to spend the rest of the day. She and her comrades were being stationed at the base for an undetermined amount of time, and unequipped. Running a hand through her short curls, Nephele went outside.
The trees were dancing at the mercy of a cool eastern wind that tossed the fallen leaves and pine needles littering the ground. Nephele found a gnarled oak to sit beneath, its branches reaching low and high. Its roots poked out of the ground like petrified wooden snakes slithering around her feet. She leaned against its thick trunk, lending it her warmth. It was days like this that fed Nephele's wanderlust. There were so many places to explore within and beyond the walls, but Nephele was fettered to her duties as a soldier.
'I must trust in the Survey Corps to lead me to the unknown.'
It was strange to think that her aspirations were once so very different from the ones she had now. Was her current path the right one? Maybe they all just led to the same place.
Nephele didn't notice when her daydreams became true dreams. Her frazzled mind conjured lands made of ice and fire, of dancing on sunset clouds and leaving footsteps everywhere she went. She dreamt that the earth shook and split and swallowed her whole, and that dark cavern was damp and ringed with a thousand enormous, square teeth. She continued to fall, yet the shaking did not stop.
The darkness flickered. A hand was reaching towards her, obscuring all else. It took a few moments for Nephele to get grasp reality, but when she did she quickly went into action, leaping from the ground and rolling to the side in time for the titan's hand to come crashing down where she had been dozing away just moments before.
"Shit. The wall." Nephele instinctively reached for her blades, and her heart dropped when she realized that she was unequipped. Without her gear, she was helpless against even an eight meter class titan such as this one. Another swipe of its giant hand, another leap to safety. She used the tree as a shield, keeping it between her and the titan at all times while she searched for someone to rescue her.
Off in the distance, a frantic horse was galloping, its saddle empty where a soldier should have been. Perhaps they were nearby, swinging around on their 3DMG. Perhaps they had been plucked from the back of their horse by some titan. Searching for the rider, Nephele spotted a figure standing on the roof of the base's main building, surrounded by the fallen bodies of evaporating titans. In the distance, a massive titan unlike any she'd ever seen was slowly approaching.
'It's a Titan Shifter,' Nephele surmised, judging from the titan's beastlike features. It was completely covered in hair, and looked like some kind of furry human. An ape, she believed they were called. A creature from the old world.
Nephele searched for a weapon, anything that she could use to stab into the titan's nape. A fallen branch almost as thick as herself caught her eye, one of its broken ends slightly tapered. Looking up, she saw that the oak was missing a limb, and silently thanked it for its sacrifice. Hopefully it would not be in vain.
Nephele ran towards the branch and gathered it into her arms, the adrenaline coursing through her veins adding power to her muscles. It was heavy, being eight feet in length and weighing well over a hundred pounds, but Nephele had lifted much heavier weights during training. She tucked it under her arm, aiming at the titan with the pointy end. Now, she was the bait. The titan's hands wrapped around her body with no regard for how tight its grip was. Groaning as she felt herself being squeezed, it lifted her off the ground, its mouth opened wide to consume her. 'Closer. I need to get the right angle…'
Shouting with vehemence, Nephele plunged the branch inside of the titan's mouth, angling it down where the creature's nape should be. The beast's mouth closed around the branch, cracking the wood and shredding off pieces of bark with its teeth. Grinding her own teeth, Nephele put all of her weight behind the branch, and the beast's teeth peeled it like a carrot as it pierced the back of its throat.
She hit the mark. The titan's grip loosened around her, dropping Nephele to land unceremoniously on the forest floor. The titan fell with her, the branch protruding from the back of its neck and dripping blood.
Panting, Nephele brushed the dirt off of her trousers and turned to the man standing on the roof. She recognized him as Mike Zacharius now, and waved her hand to get his attention.
"Captain!" she shouted a single time, but decided it was best to lay low to avoid inciting the ape titan's wrath. Luckily, Mike heard her the first time, which was indicated by the slightest tilt of his head in her direction. If they survived this, it was Mike's wrath she'd have to face for day dreaming outside instead of awaiting orders like a good soldier.
Mike's attention was fixated on the ape titan, and he reluctantly tore his gaze from the walking enigma to leap off the roof and soar through the air. Landing before her with a light 'thud,' Mike wasted no time in suddenly striking her with the back of his hand.
"Who gave you permission to leave base? You could have gotten killed. Your negligence has probably costed humankind several lives by now," he spit, his words causing more pain than his slap had. Nephele's fingers twitched to touch her cheek, but she saluted him instead and stared at her superior with steadfast loyalty and humility.
"My actions are inexcusable, Lieutenant Zacharius. When all of this is over, and if I still stand, I will obediently accept any punishment that I am given," she proclaimed with a strong salute. Mike sniffed at her, and the scowl on his face suggested that he didn't like what he smelled.
Sucking his teeth, Mike nodded his head at Nephele's kill. "You're resourceful, I'll give you that."
Mike looked over at the ape Titan, whose demanding presence hung over the area like a thunderhead heavy with rain. It's gait was languid and relaxed, it's long arms swaying listlessly as it walked with the horizon in its sights.
"I'll report this to Commander Erwin later. For now, you're sticking with me. Congratulations, Ambrosia. Your chances of survival just plummeted."
"But I-"
Mike's sharp whistle cut off Nephele in midsentence and made her ears ring with its high frequency. The pounding of hooves heralded the horse's approach, and it galloped over to them on command.
"Get on," demanded Mike as he gave the chestnut horse's side a few pats.
Nephele decided to obey first and ask questions later. She put her foot in the stirrup and struggled to hoist herself into the saddle, wondering how Levi managed to climb his own horse. He was only a few inches taller than Nephele, even though that height difference disappeared while Nephele was in heels. She always liked how short he was, how their eyes were level with each other.
Looking over at Mike, she awaited his command with her hands on the reins and her chin pointed up.
Pointing at the stables beyond the main building, past the ape Titan, Mike said, "Over in the stables is a single set of gear. Get it, put it on, and find me."
"Where are you going, sir?" inquired Nephele, concerned as to what Mike's plans may be.
"I'm going to stick to the trees and follow that titan. Stay out of its line of sight and stay in the forest, heading due northwest. It seems to be sticking to the plains right now and heading towards the nearest village, but as long as you remain hidden by the trees you should be safe. Can you whistle?" Nephele nodded in affirmation. "Good. Whistling should be a part of training. Every three minutes, I'll whistle three times. When you hear me, whistle thrice back. Understood?"
"Yes, Lieutenant. Though intuition tells me that that the titan is a human shifter. If it hears us communicating, it might act against us," she warned.
Mike regarded her with more interest now, "I've been watching it for a while, and it's been ignoring me. Since it's a deviant, however, I agree that we should keep our distance for now."
"It's already aware of our presence, then. It might attack us at any moment," Nephele said, trying to maintain a cool, calm, and collected facade.
"Then you better hope it doesn't, Ambrosia," advised Mike before he turned on his heel and threw himself into the air and through the forest.
With fear and dread weighing heavy on her, Nephele directed her steed towards the stables, digging her heels into its sides to urge it into a gallop. It's hooves tore apart the earth as it carried her to their destination on some of the fastest legs on this side of the Walls.
When they reached the stables, Nephele slid off of her horse and sprinted to the doors. The heavy stench of horseflesh and straw greeted her when she threw them open. Looking around for the gear that Mike spoke of, she searched the stalls and tack room, and found it hanging on a saddle rack. Why a random set of gear was in here eluded her, but Nephele put it on anyway. The harness was adjusted too large for her own body, so she had to tighten them to fit. There were only two sets of blades in the scabbard, and the gas tanks were only three fourths full. At least she had the luxury of gear, unlike her other comrades. She wondered where they were, what their commands were, and if anyone had gotten hurt.
The Wall was infiltrated. Titans were in Wall Rose. But why were there only nine, led by some monstrous titan covered in hair? Why were no more in the area? Were they all feasting on humans in the neighboring villages? Why hadn't they been informed?
Though Nephele wasn't a veteran in the Survey Corps, she knew by now that the most probable outcome was often the least expected. Had the ape titan created the other titans, the way she saw Eren emerge from the stomach of a titan as one of them?
Nephele saddled another horse to bring to Mike, a bay gelding with a mild temperament. She led it outside and tied the reins to her own horse, then set off to find Mike.
Inside of the forest, Nephele could no longer see the ape titan. She counted her blessings and rode onward, staying in the outskirts of the woods to look for the ape titan and remain hidden from it. Knowing the shifter's aptitude for unforeseen abilities, she feared this one's power. Perhaps it could detect her, or smell her fear. If that were the case, getting anxious about it wouldn't help.
Closing her eyes, Nephele listened to the forest, wondering what secrets it had. With her vision removed, her sense of sound was heightened. For two minutes she listened, discerning chirps from whistles, keeping her horse on course with her mental compass as it weaved through the trees. Finally, she heard his whistles; three rapid, bird like trils. Heading towards the sound, Nephele's eyes snapped open as she whistled back, trying to mimic his sound. She drove the horses faster until she saw Mike zooming above and between the trees.
Whistling once again to signal her arrival, she saw Mike glance down. He lowered himself skillfully, managing to land on the spare horse she had brought for him, and reported his findings.
"It seems to be heading towards the nearest village, but I've already sent teams to evacuate the civilians. Hopefully they've spread the word fast enough. It'd be negligent to attack the titan ourselves, so do not engage unless I give you strict orders to do so," Mike said, keeping his voice just barely loud enough for Nephele to hear over the beating of the horse's hooves.
"Yes, sir," Nephele replied, her mind brewing all sorts of questions that she didn't dare ask. As a soldier of such low rank and reputation, it would be impudent to press her superior for details regarding the mission. She was a soldier, and her duty was to obey commands. Nephele had decided to be the most loyal, steadfast soldier in the Scouts. She would not falter before Death, even if her instincts told her to run from the darkness. She would devote herself wholeheartedly to the cause, as it was humanity's only battle; and perhaps their last.
After fifteen minutes of riding, they neared the first village. From above the trees, Nephele saw the smoke of fires that had been hastily put out, their tendrils reaching up to poison the clouds. A grim silence strangled the area, its tight grip around the forest as well. Not a bird chirped, nor a creature stirred from its den.
Mike and Nephele slowed their horses to a brisk trot as they approached the village, and finally a slow walk when they reached the forest's edge. Scanning the area for the beast titan, they easily spotted it standings with its hairy back to them. It's attention was fixed on something hidden to them, but from the dark splatters staining the ground and walls of several buildings, Nephele had a good guess of what it's hapless toy may be.
"Don't talk, and do as I do," Mike commanded once he had gotten a glimpse of the gruesome scene. Nephele nodded rather than vocalize her agreement.
The lower half of some Scout's body laid on the roof of someone's home, blood flowing down its slanted side to trickle steadily to the ground. Whatever team Mike had dispatched west had been completely decimated by the beast titan. There were no other titans or living humans around, only fresh corpses that had been squashed like rotten fruit against the ground and buildings. There was no evidence of consumption, which further proved Nephele's hypothesis. There also wasn't a single civilian body to be seen, which Nephele assumed meant that they had escaped while the Scouts were engaged in battle with the beast titan.
Mike slid off of his horse and tied its reins around a low branch while Nephele mirrored his actions. As they were creeping through the underbrush, Nephele couldn't help but think they were living up to their names as Scouts. This was what Scouts in the military used to be tasked with. They prowled ahead of the pack and sniffed out any threats, sticking to the shadows to gain intel on their enemies.
Squinting her eyes to get a better glimpse through the foliage, Nephele saw a familiar, steely glint coming from the titan's upraised hands. When her eyes focused on the object, she discerned it as being a soldier's gear.
"They use swords, hm…" the echoes of the titan's resonant, deep voice pulsed all around them like the heartbeat of the forest itself. Nephele had never heard a titan speak before, not even Eren. She held onto every word, knowing that each syllable was a small, unique piece to the enigmatic puzzle of titans, their origins, and their ulterior motives. "They must know what's in our napes," it concluded.
'Eren and Annie's human selves are in their napes,' Nephele thought to herself, wondering if that was what the titan was referring to.
"They've made such an interesting invention," mused the titan as it lifted its long, wiry arms to get a closer look at the gear. Only then did Nephele notice that there were several skeletal remains of evaporating titans littering the village. A few buildings were collapsed, possibly from some titan's massive fist or foot smashing down upon it.
Mike sniffed at the air, scrunching his nose at whatever smell the titan was exuding. Wondering what kind of information Mike could gain from a titan's scent, Nephele tried it herself. All she could smell was pine needles, smoke, and fresh corpses.
Keeping his voice low, Mike inclined his head to whisper in Nephele's ear, his stubble scratching against her cheek. By then, the titan was already making its way back south, its long arms swaying listlessly by its sides, fingertips nearly brushing the ground.
"Take a horse and head towards Wall Rose and search for any comrades to report the situation here to. If you find the breach, avoid it at all costs. Titans should be streaming out of there like rats from a hole," he ordered.
Nephele wanted to retort with 'What breach? What titans?' but kept her questions to herself and nodded like a dutiful soldier, her fist clenched tight over her heart.
"Good luck, sir," she wished him earnestly. Losing Mike Zacharius would be a critical blow to humanity's survival.
"And you as well, Ambrosia." Mirroring her actions, Mike saluted and went to mount his own horse. With one last parting glance, one that questioned what the future would hold for the two of them, he rode off to continue following the beastial titan.
"I'll need it," she muttered forlornly to herself as she pulled herself into the saddle. They had exchanged horses, and Nephele now rode the gelding she had gotten from the stables. Patting the creature's neck, she urged it towards Wall Rose, wondering what horrors she'd stumble across along the way.
'I hope Levi isn't fighting. He's still injured from the battle with Annie.'
The more she thought about it, the more she wished that none of her comrades were fighting. She wished there was nothing left to fight.